Quick facts
Montevideo overview
Montevideo (orange) and the other large cities of Uruguay
Montevideo lies in Montevideo Department in Uruguay at 34.9°S, 56.19°W, about 34 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Montevideo (UTC-3); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is the biggest urban centre of Uruguay: the next largest cities are Salto (114,084), Maldonado (102,000), Rivera (84,775). Together, the three largest cities hold 44% of the national population.
The nearest large city is Las Piedras, about 19 km away, followed by Delta del Tigre (22 km).
Uruguay as a whole has a live population of 3,382,595 (-0.1% a year) and ranks #134 of 238 countries — see the Uruguay population page for the full statistics and the Uruguay atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Montevideo
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Las Piedras Canelones | 19 km | 69,682 |
| Delta del Tigre San José Department | 22 km | 17,973 |
| Barros Blancos Canelones | 24 km | 31,650 |
| Canelones Canelones | 43 km | 24,185 |
| San José de Mayo San José Department | 79 km | 35,883 |
| Florida Florida | 89 km | 36,471 |
| Minas Lavalleja | 105 km | 38,645 |
| Maldonado Maldonado | 113 km | 102,000 |
Largest cities in Uruguay
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MontevideoCapital | Montevideo Department | 1,270,737 |
| 2 | Salto | Salto Department | 114,084 |
| 3 | Maldonado | Maldonado | 102,000 |
| 4 | Rivera | Rivera Department | 84,775 |
| 5 | Paysandú | Paysandú Department | 81,550 |
| 6 | Las Piedras | Canelones | 69,682 |
| 7 | Tacuarembó | Tacuarembó Department | 60,586 |
| 8 | Melo | Cerro Largo | 56,013 |
| 9 | Artigas | Artigas | 43,897 |
| 10 | Mercedes | Soriano | 43,543 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Montevideo?
Montevideo has about 1,270,737 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Montevideo the capital of Uruguay?
Yes — Montevideo is the national capital of Uruguay.
How big is Montevideo compared with the rest of Uruguay?
Its 1,270,737 residents are 37.6% of the 3,382,595 people living in Uruguay today. It is the largest city in the country.
Where is Montevideo?
In Montevideo Department, Uruguay, at latitude -34.9 and longitude -56.19, 34 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Las Piedras (19 km), Delta del Tigre (22 km), Barros Blancos (24 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Montevideo Population 2026 — Uruguay. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/uruguay/montevideo/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/uruguay/montevideo/">Montevideo Population 2026 — Uruguay</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.